Shattered
by TeamNorthman
Summary: Troubled by a reoccurring dream, Dom begins to realize how being unable to reach his wife truly feels. Though he grows closer to finding her in the real world, in his dreams, Dom is separated from Maria by unbreakable glass. A short, abstract story leading up to when Dom finds Maria.


**Before I say anything, credit must be given where it's due: the "unbreakable glass" idea was inspired by a beautifully animate video on youtube made by someone under the name "mikeinel." The popular video is titled "Draw With Me," and it's an adorable story that is worth anyones time. Please, if you have a moment, check it out. **

**Anyways. Hello there :) I'm being irresponsible, and I know it. I should be updating "You, Me and Delta." But don't worry, readers. That next chapter (I swear) is nearly complete. Plus, this story won't take any time away from that one. Because this will be four short and sweet chapters. Straightforward and to the point. **

**This story kept nagging at me. It nagged, nagged, nagged. So I just couldn't help it. It's different, but try and keep an open mind. Dreams never really make sense, do they? Enjoy :)**

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**Chapter One: Unbreakable: Three days before discovery.**

Dom's vision stirred, his eyes blinded by the harsh light seemingly searing through his closed lids. Attempting to open them, he winced, grunting. The hot, white light made a few tears spring free, and he blocked it out with an arm.

He was on his back, the surface beneath him firm but soft. The fingers of his free hand grazed across the ground, gripping at the fine grass and pulling some from its roots.

With a grunt, he sat upright, still keeping the harsh light at bay. _Is that the sun?_ he thought. He could see the light, feel the warmth, but could not make out any sphere-shaped ball in the endless, blue sky.

His body seemed so unbelievably light, and he glanced down to examine himself. No armor. No guns. No _shoes_. Irked by the simple fact, he even wiggled his toes, taken aback by the unfamiliar sensation of the warm air on his feet.

_But I shouldn't feel so _weightless_, _he thought, squinting at his stark-white t-shirt as though it were the culprit. Then his mind trailed off into a different direction when his eyes spotted something else. _Are those jeans? Since when do I even own anything other than cargo pants?_

His eyes slid to the ground he sat on. _Is that…Oilseed…in the grass? I thought you could only find this stuff on Vectes. _Dom sniffed the air, scrunching up his nose. _Ugh. Definitely Oilseed_, he noted as he inhaled its sharp and sickeningly sweet odor.

Dom took a moment to simply glance around him, befuddled by the vastness of the world, and the absolute aura of peace. _Where the hell am I? _

And then suddenly, there she was, standing in front of him as clear as day. Though she stood with her back to him several yards away, he still knew. He'd recognize her anywhere.

Scrambling to his feet, Dom couldn't believe his eyes. Simply standing frozen for a moment, he gazed out at the woman's form, hypnotized by the way her long, dark hair fluttered out softly with the wind. She looked so beautiful, like she hadn't aged a day. Would she even recognize him now? What all had the war done to just his face alone?

Dom took a single step forward, a single step closer to her.

"Maria," he whispered, her name like a prayer on his lips.

He took off, bare feet hardly finding purchase against the slick grass beneath them. "Maria!" he called, his heart beating wildly in his chest. "Maria, it's me, Dominic! Maria!" Now that he ran towards her, she seemed so much further away. But his legs continued forward, stride after stride, step after step.

_I found her. She's here, she's alive, and I finally _found _her._

Slowly, she turned around to face him, her fingers coming up to brush hair out of her eyes. She smiled lovingly at him, truly the vision of his dreams, too good to be true.

He'd nearly reached her when a shimmering flash of light washed across his vision. It was unexpected enough to stop him momentarily; he furrowed his brow, his eyes scanning the world around him.

As his vision skimmed over Maria's form, it happened again; a shimmer of light, sharp and temporary. A reflection-like the sun rays on a windowpane.

"What the…"

Dom began moving forward again, this time at a slow and cautious jog. Maria simply stood there, unmoving, her eyes locked on him and her smile eternal.

Reluctantly, Dom slowed to a walk, and then eventually came to a halt all together, only a couple feet away from Maria, leaving her at arms length, so painstakingly close. The desire to touch her burned in his chest, nearly overwhelming in intensity. Carefully, gently, like she was made of glass, as though she were an apparition that would disappear, Dom reached out with shaking fingers.

"Maria," he murmured, his heart clenching as he pressed his palm flat against the smooth, clear, shimmering surface that divided him and his wife.

It was glass; a wall of glass stood between him, and his whole world. He'd finally found her, and yet, he couldn't even touch her.

Realization dawned on him. This was a dream. Of _course _this was a dream.

Bracing both his hands against the glass, he let his head drop, squeezing his eyes shut as tight as they would go. _How cruel, _he thought. _How could my mind be so goddamn cruel_. Grief washed over him all over again when he realized he'd failed. He'd failed yet again to find her.

His hands balled into fists. "Damn it," he muttered. "Damn it, damn it, _damn it_." To emphasize the last one, he pounded each of his fists on the glass. It barely even shuddered.

Suddenly struck by inspiration, Dom's head shot up, and his gaze found Maria's. She still simply stood there, her hands now folded in front of her as she smiled at him. Almost as if she were encouraging him. Like she knew what he was thinking. _Go on,_ her gaze said. _Give it a try._

Determination driving him now, Dom straightened and took a step back. Widening his feet into a strong stance, he prayed this would work. Dream, or no dream, it was worth a try.

Lunging forward, Dom's leg shot out, and his bare foot struck the glass as hard as he could manage. A thousand cracks streaked out from where his heal struck the surface, radiating off of one center point of contact. Dom fell backwards, straight to his behind. His tailbone and foot hurt _bad_, but he'd nearly done it. One more strike and surely he'd be through. Jumping back to his feet with a new surge of hope, he prepared to try again.

Then something odd happened. A strange, searing sound began hissing from where Dom had struck the wall. With furrowed eyebrows, he watched in shock as a soft light glowed through each and every one of the cracks. In moments, one by one, the cracks dissipated, leaving a perfectly untouched surface behind. Like he'd never even struck it in the first place.

Dom stood there for a moment, breathing hard and trying to calm his racing heart. To quiet the raw hope still singing in his veins. But it had been just enough to hurt. He'd been just close enough to make him feel like a failure again.

A cruel trick by his mind, indeed.

A new emotion struck him, crackling with heat. Roaring with fury, Dom brought an arm back and slammed his fist into the glass, setting off another round of cracks. Before they even began to dissolve, Dom punched with the other fist. Then he hit the wall again, again, again, and then again.

Maria simply watched, standing still, a kind and beautiful smile on her face.

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**An odd one, right? I'm sending you a warning now. You know what happened in the second game. I can't promise the happiest of endings when this is over. **

**I've never written anything like this before, so feedback of any kind would be deeply appreciated :)**


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